Our family cruise to Papua New Guinea

“The holiday is booked – we’re going to Papua New Guinea!” It didn’t engender the enthusiastic response you might expect when telling family and friends you’re off to an exotic Pacific location like Fiji or the Cook Islands. “But it’s not safe,” was the common response. I felt another question many left unsaid……. Why Papua … Continue reading “Our family cruise to Papua New Guinea”

Prison cell holiday – do the time without the crime

If these walls could talk, would they ponder how life has changed so drastically that today people pay money for a prison cell holiday – to stay in a place they once would have given anything to leave? Recently plans were announced for one of Melbourne’s latest hotel developments on the site of Victoria’s Pentridge … Continue reading “Prison cell holiday – do the time without the crime”

Experience the magic of Mary Poppins in Queensland

It was not until I was watching the movie, Saving Mr Banks (pictured above), that I learned the woman who created Mary Poppins was an Australian. How did I get to adulthood not knowing this? “Was Mary Poppins Australian mum?”my children asked. Well, not the magical original super nanny, but the woman who created her, … Continue reading “Experience the magic of Mary Poppins in Queensland”

Would you visit a concentration camp with your children?

‘How old are you?’ – Jacob* asked my son. “Twelve and a half,” my son answered proudly. “That’s exactly the age I was when I escaped from the train and lost my mum,” Jacob told my son. But this was no ordinary train. This was a train in Poland. And Jacob was a young Jewish … Continue reading “Would you visit a concentration camp with your children?”

Visiting Barwon Park Mansion

On a rather damp and dark day on Victoria’s Surf Coast, we decided to head inland from Torquay to visit Barwon Park. This 42 room bluestone mansion was built in 1872 and bequeathed to the National Trust in the 1970s. I have wanted to visit since I was a girl – always curious as we … Continue reading “Visiting Barwon Park Mansion”